Creator of Pacific Cinderella explores the times that change.
Creator of Pacific Cinderella
When I realised that Arts High School In LA had a sister school in Hangzhou China, I recommended a collaboration. The principal of the high school asked me what a collaboration might look like, and I said, finding commonality. I suggested the use of a common fairy tale (Cinderella in Western culture, and Yeh Shen – predating Cinderella by six hundred years – in Chinese culture). From there, magic. Courtesy of the China’s HanBan twenty-five of us traveled to Hangzhou. And although the students didn’t speak the same language, they spoke to one another through their art.
Pacific Cinderella is a metaphorical, coming-of-age story not just for the individual but for our global community. It is a story of hope that blends students from 2 arts highschools – in China and the U.S. – and emphasizes commonality. This video is a document of the American workshop for the China performance. Click to Watch.
Pacific Cinderella was performed in Hangzhou China in 2013. It was commissioned by the Confucius Institute. It is an original work and a reflection on both American and Chinese artistic traditions, blending them in a manner which honors those traditions while exploring the commonality of all cultures.
The Story of Pacific Cinderella
The story of Pacific Cinderella is a metaphor for coming-of-age not just for the individual but for our global community. It is a story of hope.
Pacific Cinderella is a journey that begins before the production itself is realized; where young people from two arts high schools separated by an ocean not only share their indigenous theatrical traditions but also share their common popular traditions.